Government forces effort against radicalisation of prison inmates

The number of Norwegian foreign fighters serving in prisons is increasing. A concerned attorney wishes to strengthen efforts against radicalization behind bars.

‘It is crucial for the government to prevent people being recruited into extreme environments. We know that radicalised individuals are imprisoned in Norway, and there is a danger that these may, in turn, radicalise fellow prisoners.

To counteract this, the prisons have developed several skill sets, which have been upgrading so that employees can more easily identify and manage these types of issue in prisons’, said Justice and Emergency Minister, Per-Willy Amundsen, of Fremskrittspartiet (FrP) to TV 2.

The well-known Islamist, Ubaydullah Hussain, stands accused of participation in the extremist group the Islamic State (IS). Later in March, both he and a 19 year old convert will receive a verdict in Oslo District Court.

Meanwhile, more extreme Islamists sit in custody in Norway, and TV2 reported that there will be several terror prosecutions in the spring and autumn of this year. To date, five people from Norway have been judged to be foreign fighters in Syria.

Among the measures the government has initiated, is the establishment of a so-called ‘e-learning program’ for prison employees.

Eleven resource persons have been given responsibility for skill development in the prison service. These include safety assessments of inmates, information management, and help to ensure that all employees know the routines for reporting their concerns.

Furthermore, cooperation between the prison services, municipalities, the ordinary police and the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) will be further strengthened. The Ministry of Culture is to create a relevant course for the leaders of religious communities, sports clubs, and other voluntary organisations.

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